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{
    "id": 219775,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/219775/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 229,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Obwocha",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Planning and National Development",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 356,
        "legal_name": "Henry Onyancha Obwocha",
        "slug": "henry-obwocha"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I know the fishing industry is doing well. I would like those Members to listen to us because this country cannot be developed by developing only one crop or one area in terms of export. Tea is important. Fisheries is important. So, what I am saying is that, with that Kshs105 for just a cup of tea, a farmer is paid is Kshs9. I think that is unfair. Therefore, African countries must endeavour to push the agenda of value addition both in coffee and tea. That way, we can pay our farmers well. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other problem that is facing the tea industry is non-collection of green leaves from tea buying centres. There are tea factories which are not doing well. What we popularly refer to as \"bonus\" - the lumpsum payment after the interim payment - needs to be improved. We can only do that if the agency is transformed and the Government has a hand in what is being done. When we adopted liberalisation as Government, we went into it wholesale. We need to review some of those issues as the Government and the people of this May 23, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1537 country, so that our people could benefit from liberation. Blind liberalisation cannot help this country. We are not going back on liberalisation, but we need an opening for the Government to correct anomalies as and when they occur. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, one other thing that I want to say is about the election of directors in some of the tea factories. There should be provisions to enable the farmers to change their directors when they want. Some of the directors are the cause of problems in the tea industry. That is a major complaint from the farmers, as we know it. There should be farmers representation at the level of Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA). People who have more tea should have more directors. Their voice should be heard. Their problems can be articulated, if there is enough and fair representation. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, finally, I want to talk about tea expansion; I mean the tea factories. We are seeing piecemeal expansion of the tea sector. Maybe, farmers are not able to get financing by themselves. Therefore, there is need for Government to come in and direct the farmers on how they can get more funding to build new factories. We need to expand the industry."
}